118 AITXUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



DIVISION OF HOG-CHOLERA CONTROL. 



Tlie Office of Hog- Cholera Control was made a division in April, 

 1919, and Dr. U. G. Houck was appointed chief of the division to 

 fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Dr. O. B. Hess. 



COOPERATIVE WORK FOR CONTROL OF HOG CHOLERA. 



The work for the control and suppression of ho^ cholera progressed 

 along the lines of the preceding year, in cooperation with the regula- 

 tory authorities and the extension divisions of agricultural colleges 

 in 31 States where hog raising forms an important part of the farm- 

 ing activities. For a time as many as 180 bureau veterinarians were 

 assigned to hog-cholera control work, but the average for the year 

 was about 135. 



Through the increase of the field force, which was made possible 

 by the increase of funds from the war emergency appropriation, the 

 swine industry received more protection against losses from hog 

 cholera than ever before. Notwithstanding an increase of over 

 4,000,000 above the number of hogs in the preceding year as a result 

 of efforts to stimulate production, besides the abnormal conditions 

 that prevailed as a consequence of the war, the mortality of swine 

 from all diseases showed a slight decline, from 42.1 per 1,000 in 

 1918 to 41.4 per 1,000 in 1919, or about 37 per 1,000 from hog cholera. 

 This is the lowest point recorded in 36 years. 



Hogs shipped from public stock3'ards into the various States for 

 feeding purposes were kept under observation at destinations for a 

 time to observe the results of the hog-cholera preventive treatment 

 administered at the yards before shipment. The observation of these 

 animals added materially to the duties of both bureau and State 

 inspectors, as 614,673 feeder hogs were immunized at public stock- 

 yards and shipped, Avhich was a great increase over any previous 

 year. 



Many garbage- feeding stations in the vicinity of large cities and 

 military and naval camps were kept under observation, as such 

 places are always liable to become centers of infection. 



SUMMAKY or ACTIVITIES. 



During the year 12,336 outbreaks of hog cholera were reported to 

 the bureau inspectors by county agents, live-stock owners, and others. 

 These outbreaks were investigated in cooperation with the State 

 authorities. Under the direction of those authorities 9,564 farms 

 were quarantined on account of outbreaks of the disease, and 4,382 

 were cleaned and disinfected. A total of 51,022 farm investigations 

 were made on infected and adjacent premises, and 53,586 post-mor- 

 tems were held to determine the nature of the disease that existed 

 among the animals on the farms visited by the inspector. 



Literature on the subject of hog cholera was widely distributed, 

 and 2,734 meetings were held in hog-raising districts for the purpose 

 of forming organizations and giving information and instructions 

 to live-stock owners concerning quarantine, sanitation, and the serum 

 treatment as successful means for preventing losses from hog cholera. 

 These meetings were attended by 78,584 farmers and others. In 



